Angela Truby, CPM

I gave birth to my daughter Willa Clare on June 28th, 2000, pushing her out with great triumph, pain and joy into the waiting arms of my wonderful midwife, Leslie. As is true for most women, my birth experience was a pinnacle moment in my life, marking the transition from maidenhood to motherhood. Held in the arms of my husband, Seth, immersed in warm water in the birth pool in my kitchen, I learned to trust in my body’s wisdom and find new depths of courage and passion that would serve me well not only as a mother, but also as a midwife years later.

On that summer day a decade ago I was serving as the first female pastor of four small United Methodist Churches in rural Virginia. After graduating from Oberlin College and earning a Masters of Divinity degree at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, somehow I found myself at age 26, performing weddings and funerals, baptizing babies and preaching behind the pulpit…and hugely pregnant! I had followed in the footsteps of my mother, an ordained pastor, but had not found my own true life’s calling yet.

Reflecting back on those few years in ministry, I am grateful for how my experiences beautifully prepared me for midwifery. I loved being present with people in times of vulnerability, joy and transition, times when “the veil between the worlds is very thin.”

As the seeds for midwifery quietly grew within me, over the next few years I found myself immersed in home life—discovering my gifts and growing edges as the mother of a toddler, renovating our first house, and leaving ministry to seek a new vocational path. A friend told me about the role of a doula, and by that evening I was signed up for a training program! In 2002 I became a DONA Certified Doula and founded my own doula practice, attending primarily hospital births. The mamas I served sought me out because they wanted low-intervention, natural birth and compassionate labor support from someone they had grown to know and trust. Although most of my clients felt empowered through their birth experiences, I grew increasingly frustrated by the contrast between hospital practices and my own deep trust in birth and in women’s wisdom. Finally I realized, much to my surprise, trepidation and joy that my heart’s desire is to serve women and babies as a midwife. With the loving encouragement of my husband and community, I began midwifery training in 2004 at Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland. In 2006, while I was still in school, my second daughter, Iona Rose, was born into the hands of my husband and my midwife after several hours of intense labor and three crazy pushes. Willa Clare’s first words upon witnessing her sister’s birth were, “She’s just darling!”

In 2007 I came to Alma Midwifery Center and began apprenticing under the compassionate and skillful guidance of founder and midwife, Laura Erickson, CPM, LDM. By the time I completed my apprenticeship in 2009, I had attended over 100 births and worked with every midwife at Alma. In August of 2009 I earned my Bachelor of Science in Midwifery degree and passed the
national exam to become a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). I was invited to continue practicing midwifery at Alma, assisting Laura, and occasionally one of the other wonderful full-time midwives. I cannot imagine a more perfect place for me to do what I love among a community of dedicated midwives, serving the thoughtful birthing families who come to Alma!

When I am not catching babies, I love spending time with my husband of 15 years and my two beautiful, spirited daughters. As a devoted singer, I love to make music with friends and perform every December in the Christmas Revels show in Portland. I also enjoy Sean-nos Irish dancing with my eldest daughter, Willa Clare, and contra dancing whenever possible on Saturday nights!

Education

Graduate of Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH (1996)
BA in English and Women’s Studies
Graduate of Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA (1999)
Masters of Divinity
Graduate of Birthingway College of Midwifery, Portland,
OR (2009) Bachelor of Science in Midwifery

Apprenticeship 2007-2009 with Laura Erickson, CPM, LDM
Alma Midwifery Center, Portland, OR

Professional Certified Professional Midwife w/ NARM (North American
Certification Registry of Midwives)

Professional Began attending births in the fall of 2002 as a Certified Doula
Experience Began attending births as a student midwife in 2007
As of 2009 I have attended over 100 births

Professional Member of OMC (Oregon Midwifery Council) since 2007
Affiliations

Personal Births: Willa Clare born at home in the water on 6/28/00
Experience after 12 hours of labor; Iona born at home in the water
on 6/27/06 after 9 hours of labor
Married to Seth Truby since 1995.

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photo on this page: Pasha.